St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-10-16
HIS sCEPTER A RED SKULL.

HIS SCEPTER A RED SKULL.
The King of Dahomey and His
Queer Surroundings---A Canopy
of Gold Umbrellas---His Army of
5000 AmaZOns---Pricele Pres
ents---Three Hours of Bloodshed.
j. W. Watson says he is the only
American who ever interviewed the
King of Dahomey, and the story of their
meeting is graphically told in the pages
of the North American Review for
October. The visit to the comparatively
UNEMPLOYED country of DahOmey was
full of danger, not only from the ma
tives, but the animals investing the
woods.
At AbOmey, the capital city, where
the king lives, it was noticeable that all
the ROSTERS wore muZZleS to prevent
them from Growing. as the sovereign
does not want himself or his 375 wives
disturbed too early.
When the travellers entered the court
yard of the royal palace they learned
that he was in the harem, an immense
circular tent made of silk and velvet, in
the midst of grounds covered with silk
and gold umbrellas. the gifts of potent
ates and wealthy subjects.
While examining these things the gOurd
drums announced the arrival of the
king-a well-built negro of forty,
dressed in short gown of blue silk,
covered with silver half-moons, stars
and quaint-shaped spangles like half
dollars.
On his head he had what we would
call smoking-cap of red velvet, with
gold lace. and the
FIGURES OF A SKULL AND CR0SS-BONES
in front. On his feet were gold-laced
| sandals, no stockings and no leggingS.
In hishand he held sceptre of solid
gold, Surmounted by a red skull-the
skull being the symbol of DahOmey-
and thousands of them being constantly
in sight on walls, roofs and posts about
the city.
1t was generally the custom to APP
proach the king on all tours, but the
traveller being an American, was privi-
legged to stand up in the royal presence.
The review of the Amazon army was
one of the interesting sights provided
for the visitors. 1t numbers 5000, and
is called the kings guard. 1t is divided
into regiments of 1000 each, known
apart by the silver ornaments on their
caps, such as the crocodile, lion, ele-
plant, leopard or snake. These women
are admitted to the guard on attaining
the age of ten, full growth, and are
given as wives to the soldiers of the
king, of which he has 1900, and are
discharge from service upon becoming
mothers of two children. AS
it is privilege much COW
eted to be one of the kings body
guard, and perhaps promotion to his
harem, motherhood is not very much
sought after. The uniform of these
women is short tunic of coarse cotton
cloth, with a leathern belt, in which is
stuck long knife and pipe, cap of
coarse blue cloth, and muskets of every
conceivable make on earth. Bare-footed
and bare-iegged. this completes their
makeup, and their ratiOnS are sifted
down to the lowest point that will sus-
tain human life. One cent each to the
whole army, as gift would be munifi-
cent.
The king on another occasion exhib-
tied the
PRESENTS HE HAD RECEIVED
during his reign, which included a
grand piano, Yankee clocks that would
not go, music boxes and tea store
chrOmOs. He seemed to be very proud
of his collection of curios.
The traveller witnessed some remark
able customs that have been observed in
Dahomey for over a thousand years,
and some of which the king would
gladly abolish if he dared. The scenes
depicted must have been horrible in the
extreme. The writer says:
in the center of the court yard plat
form was erected, hung with silks, vel
vets and flags. including that of Daho-
mey-a white ground, with a figure in
black holding aloft decapitated head
in one hand and cimetar in the other.
On this platform stood the king, sur
rounded by his mobiles, among whom [
had a prominent seat, while below
| pie, kept in some order by a woman
guard. The affair began by the king,
personally, throwing into sliding
trench various packages of goods, con-
sisting of cottons, clothes and cloths,
knives, muskets, pipes and tobacco, all
of which were fought fiercely for by the
crowd below. Then came the grand
point, the slaughter.
'''rhe victims were brought forth
dashed into bOat-shaped baskets, in
sitting position, with knees drawn up to
the chin, and lifted into the slide, from
which they went down to the crowd be-
low. Then there came a horrible scram-
bic. Thousands with long and bright
hiil'So ehiCW lhOlioCl'oo VII VIC VlCtlili,
and in moment he was hacked to
pieces,as well as were some of his hack
ers, the victor being the one who came
off with the head.
E''ThiS was kept up for three hours,
the number killed amounting to about
200, until the crowd below was reeking
and smeared with blood. A more hor-
rible sight was never witnessed, and it
did not lessen the horror with me to be
told that this is not mere useless
slaughter, as civilized nations suppose,
but day of execution, the decapitated
being criminals, traitors and prisoners
of war, who have been offensive po-
litical partiSanS.'"